Running inside the baseline to 1B.

It's one of those classic baseball conundrums. How are you supposed to run on the outside of the baseline on your way to 1B and then touch the base that is in fair territory?

Knowing this "rule" is necessary on bunted balls near the 1B baseline and on strikeouts where outs are to be recorded at 1B. If a runner gets hit in the back on his way to 1B it's customary to argue that the runner was running on the oustide of the line. Of course, at some point in the process the runner must touch the base but it's worth arguing anyway.

Some amateur organizations have now adopted the second base at 1B. The concept is legitimate in it recognizes the flawed logic of running outside the baseline all the way to 1B and then crossing the line at the last second to touch the base. This second base is colored orange and its' basis is for safety of the runner. I don't like the second base because baseball shouldn't have anything orange on its field. But, I understand the logic.

Keep in mind that all runners intuitively know that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Those rightanded batters have a difficult time in grasping the concept of getting outside the baseline when a play could be made on them. I'm not sure it's a realistic expectation to ask them to run outside the baseline. But, it's certainly sound coaching to know the rule.